Looking for live music this week in Southwest Florida? From an arena tour in Estero to tribute bands in Bonita Springs, chamber music in Naples, a brewery Oktoberfest in Fort Myers, and free waterfront sets on Marco Island, there is a show for most tastes between October 15 and 22. I rounded up eight shows that I could verify from each venue's or event's official page, with the artist, venue, date, time, and a ticket link for every one.
Key Takeaways
- The Doobie Brothers play Hertz Arena in Estero Wednesday, October 21 at 8 PM on their Walk This Road Tour.
- Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing Company runs Thursday through Sunday, October 15-18, with free admission, live bands each day, food trucks, and 50-plus beers and seltzers.
- Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA plays the Music & Arts Community Center in Fort Myers Friday, October 16 at 6 PM, part of the show's Fort Myers run through November 8.
- Arts Bonita hosts three concerts in the Hinman Auditorium this week: a ZZ Top tribute Friday, blues guitarist Quinn Sullivan Saturday, and the Tom Petty experience Free Fallin Sunday, all at 7:30 PM.
- PRESS PLAY: A Gamer's Halloween Family Concert plays Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall Sunday, October 18 at 2 PM, with video game music for all ages.
- The Naples Philharmonic plays Beethoven and Fanny Mendelssohn Tuesday, October 20 at 3 PM at the Daniels Pavilion in Naples.
- CJ's on the Bay on Marco Island hosts free Live Music Thursdays from 6 PM on October 15 and October 22.
Thursday, October 15
Fort Myers: Oktoberfest opens at Fort Myers Brewing Company
The Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing Company opens Thursday, October 15 and runs through Sunday, October 18 at the brewery on Commerce Lakes Drive. Admission is free and the grounds are family and dog friendly, with food trucks, stein hoisting, and 50-plus beers and seltzers. Live music starts Thursday at 3 PM with Edison Schetter, then Austin James Full Band at 6 PM, and the weekend brings more local bands including the Ben Allen Band, Rock Republic, Austin James Band, Matt & Zack, and Weaver & Wilkins. The full schedule is on the Fort Myers Brewing Company event page.
Marco Island: free live music at CJ's on the Bay
CJ's on the Bay, the waterfront restaurant at the Esplanade Shoppes on Marco Island, hosts its free Live Music Thursday this week from 6 PM. It is a low-key way to hear local musicians with the bay in the background, and the island's Chamber of Commerce events page lists the details. The same series runs again Thursday, October 22, so it is a dependable weekly stop if you live on or near the island. If you are getting to know Marco Island, our Marco Island area guide covers the neighborhoods and communities around the Esplanade.
Friday, October 16
Fort Myers: Candlelight Queen vs. ABBA
The Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA concert plays the Music & Arts Community Center, home of the Gulf Coast Symphony, on Shire Lane Friday at 6 PM. The program pairs the catalogues of two of pop's biggest bands, performed by a live string ensemble under candlelight, and it runs in Fort Myers through November 8. Tickets and times are on the official Fever event page.
Bonita Springs: ThunderBeard, a tribute to ZZ Top
ThunderBeard: A Tribute to ZZ Top plays Arts Bonita in the Hinman Auditorium on Bonita Beach Road Friday at 7:30 PM. The band recreates the little ol' band from Texas with their classic blues-rock hits, and the 400-seat theater keeps the show close and personal. Tickets are on the Arts Bonita performances page. The venue sits in the heart of Bonita Springs, an area covered in our Bonita Springs area guide.
Saturday, October 17
Bonita Springs: Quinn Sullivan live
Blues and rock guitarist Quinn Sullivan brings his band to Arts Bonita Saturday at 7:30 PM. Sullivan started young and has grown into a polished live performer who has shared stages with some of the genre's biggest names, and his set at the Hinman Auditorium is a chance to hear him up close. Tickets are on the Arts Bonita performances page.
Fort Myers: Oktoberfest keeps the bands coming
Day three of Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing Company brings a DJ in the afternoon and the Rock Republic headline set at 7 PM Saturday, with a free stein-hoisting competition at 5 PM. It stays free to attend all weekend, so you can drop by for an afternoon band or stay for the evening headline. The brewery's event page has the day-by-day lineup.
Sunday, October 18
Fort Myers: a gamer-themed family concert
PRESS PLAY: A Gamer's Halloween Family Concert pairs the Gulf Coast Symphony with PFM for an afternoon of video game music at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus. It starts at 2 PM and is built for all ages, so it works well as a family outing. Tickets are on the Barbara B. Mann events page.
Bonita Springs: Free Fallin, the Tom Petty experience
Sunday evening, Free Fallin: The Tom Petty Concert Experience closes out the weekend at Arts Bonita at 7:30 PM. It is a tribute to Petty's catalog performed live, and it rounds out a week where the Bonita venue had a concert nearly every night. Tickets are on the Arts Bonita performances page.
Tuesday, October 20
Naples: chamber music at the Daniels Pavilion
The Naples Philharmonic presents a Sypert Salon chamber concert of Beethoven and Fanny Mendelssohn at the Daniels Pavilion on the Artis-Naples campus Tuesday at 3 PM. The afternoon program is an intimate chance to hear the orchestra's musicians in a small hall. Tickets and details are on the Artis-Naples events page. The pavilion is in the Pelican Bay area of North Naples, covered in our Naples area guide.
Wednesday, October 21
Estero: the Doobie Brothers at Hertz Arena
The Doobie Brothers bring their Walk This Road Tour to Hertz Arena on Everblades Parkway Wednesday at 8 PM, with Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, and Pat Simmons leading the classic lineup. It is the biggest touring show of the week in Southwest Florida, and tickets are on the Hertz Arena event page. The arena anchors the Estero sports and entertainment district, and our Estero area guide introduces the communities around it.
How I put this list together
I keep this roundup to live music I can confirm from the venue's or event's own pages, and I link to the official ticket or event page for every show. I include concerts, tribute shows, brewery stages, and free outdoor sets across Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. Lineups and times can shift, so it always pays to check the official page before you head out.
A note on fair housing: every venue, neighborhood, and home in Southwest Florida is open to everyone, and I am glad to help you find the place that fits you, whatever your story. If you are exploring a move here, a concert is a nice way to spend an evening in an area you might call home.
A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus Realty, Co., serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. I put this live music roundup together each week from current, published listings so you can find a show nearby. If you are thinking about a move, email or text me any time.
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Contact Catalina Quintero at (239) 206-6909 or use the contact page to schedule a consultation.